[celstu1]

I would say to just choose your condo wisely. Drive thru the community a few times to watch what goes on during the day and night there, the kinds of traffic that go through there can tell you a lot. Look for other people walking pets and make sure they are leashed and they pick up after them (condos CAN write up pet owners and order pets removed from the property).
Also ask the condo association what is the proportion of rentals vs owner occupied. That will tell you a lot too. People who live in the townhouse they own tend to be more respectful.

I highly recommend a townhouse style if you can get it. You'll have your own entrance so you know the security is a little better.

Something I didn't think of when I was looking but luckily caught onto right away was I wanted an outside area.... my townhouse has a large wooden deck, with walls on both sides, so I get privacy from my neighbors if they are out. I can grill on it (another important thing to me that I hadn't thought of), it fits a large patio set with 6 chairs and you can put a screen house on it if you'd like, it will fit a 10x10 screen house.

I have my own washer & dryer hookups so I do my own laundry at my convenience. The more amenities on the grounds of the complex the higher the condo fee typically, however, you have a pool to use and never need to clean it, buy chemicals, open it, close it, etc. Tennis courts that are maintained and free to use. My complex is talking about building a fenced in dog park area right on the grounds, that would be awesome! (although I'm definitely too leery to actually let my dogs run around in it with other dogs!)

A couple cons for me are
- I have only 1 assigned parking spot (wish I had 2)
- wish I had a garage
- you can't pick your neighbors (got some weird stories there)
- when the plow truck comes (whether is be 6am or midnight) and honks you need to get up and go move your car immediately or you'll be fined.
- There is no seasonal vehicles allowed on the property b/t Nov - March 31.... so motorcycles (which we have 2) need to be stored Nov - March 31.
- any unregistered vehicles (so if my husband and I had a 3rd vehicle, like a summer convertible that we take off the road in the winter) can't stay there unless we keep it registered year round.
- I can't get satellite (dish) tv because my condo will only allow dishes installed on the back of units and from the back of my particular unit the signal won't reach, I am not allowed to get a dish installed on the roof or the front of the unit.
- I wanted to put french doors instead of a slider on the back of my condo to the deck, but you can only install the condo allowed doors & windows

Notice everything is outside the condo though? On the inside I have free reign to do whatever I'd like to do with it. Remodel, update, paint, anything I want.